This invention relates generally to tie down apparatus for securing first objects to second objects and, more particularly, to adjustable length strap tie down apparatus for securing various types of loads and objects, on various types of vehicles and trailers. While the apparatus of the present invention has unlimited applications and uses, the apparatus is particularly useful for securing objects and loads, such as boats, motorcycles, snowmobiles, luggage, lumber, furniture and the like, on trailers, the roofs or roof top carriers of automobiles, pickup trucks and other truck beds, and the like.
The present invention relates to improvements of the apparatus of prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,537, the disclosure of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.
In general, the apparatus of the present invention comprises a continuous one piece strap means of rectangular cross-section of any desired length made of flexible, high strength, soft finish, weather resistant, tensionable webbing material, such as used for vehicle safety belts, with multiple purpose attachment means fixedly secured to opposite ends of the strap means and operatively associated with winch-type tensioning apparatus of new and improved design in a new and improved manner enabling adjustment of the effective length of the strap means as necessary or desirable. More specifically, the present invention comprises an elongated one piece frame means having a pair of elongated spaced parallel side wall portions for mounting a rotatable shaft means. Rotatable shaft means comprising a pair of split elongated shaft members of arcuate segmental cross-sectional shape are rotatably mounted in the frame side wall portions and spaced from one another to define strap slot means with opposite end portions extending through and rotatably supported in the elongated parallel frame side wall portions. A ratchet means has a ratchet wheel member mounted on one juxtapositioned pair of the opposite end portions of the split shaft members and a pawl member mounted on the adjacent one of the frame side wall portions. An elongated operating handle means, in the form of an elongated operating handle member, is slidably mounted on the other juxtapositioned pair of the opposite end portions of the split shaft members adjacent the other of the frame side wall portions.
Mounting means for the shaft means and the ratchet means comprise a cylindrical bore in each of the side wall portions having a radius approximately equal to the radius of the arcuate outer surface of each of the split shaft members, the bores being coaxial. A pair of circumferentially spaced arcuate concentric slots are provided in the ratchet wheel member with radii approximately equal to the radii of the arcuate inner and outer surfaces of the split shaft members and being coaxial therewith. An end portion of each split shaft member is drivably received in and confined and held in spaced relationship by one of said arcuate slots. Radially extending flange means are provided on each end portion of each split shaft member for limiting axial displacement of the split shaft members relative to the ratchet wheel member and for holding the ratchet wheel member on and in drivable relationship with the split shaft members between the flange means and the adjacent side surface of one of the frame side wall portions. A spacer means, having a radially extending opening therein, is mounted between the opposite end portions of the split shaft members for holding the opposite end portions in uniformly spaced coplanar relationship with the arcuate slots and has a radial extending abutment surface for abutting engagement with the adjacent side surface of the other one of the frame side wall portions to limit axial displacement of the split shaft assembly. An elongated handle member is slidably mounted in and extends through aligned radially extending bores in the opposite end portions of the split shaft members and through the radially extending opening in the spacer means to limit relative axial displacement between the spacer means and the split shaft members. Retaining means are provided on opposite end portions of the handle member for preventing removal of the handle member from the aligned bores in the split shaft members.